Bass Clefs and Sapphires

by Crispn

Snowy Apple Blush

It was a calm morning. The snowfall had finally come in, leaving the small town in a thick blanket that came up to your knees. Outside of the apartment I was hovering over the ground cover waiting.

“She said we were going to be at AJ’s place by 8. It’s almost 7:45 and she said the farm was across town in the flats.” I grumbled to myself. I landed and started making a ball with the soft powder. “Teach her to not get started on time.” I laughed maliciously as I continued to make the ball bigger and bigger.

“I don’t think that this will be a good thing if you continue down that course of action.”

Rarity had finally made it outside. She was wearing a pair of slim jeans and a large topcoat. All around her on the other hand, were snowballs. perfectly shaped and floating in her blue aura.

Grinning evilly, I chucked the snowball at her and got her in the left shoulder. “I think I’ll take my chances.”

Ten minutes later, sweating and cold, we were finally making our way into town. I should have taken her offer when I could. I guess someone who makes their own outfits all the time would have a really good eye. I had managed to hit her three times. On the other hand, she hit me a whopping 46 times in 3 minutes. Magic had its advantages. She had to dig me out of a pile of snow that she dropped on my head when I tried to get away. The fight had really only lasted a couple of minutes, Rarity had spent a bit more time cleaning off our clothes and straightening her hair.

Walking into the town, I couldn’t help but notice how rustic everything looked. Mom and pop shops all over, no big brand name corporations. It was as if this small little town had managed to place itself so deep in the area that people didn’t bother to come find it. There was something magical about it. From the library that was built into a large oak, to the large houses made out of clouds in the sky off in the distance to the east, everything seemed natural.

We passed a little pastry shop called SugarCube Corner. It reminded me of The Corner back in the city, but a bit more....eccentric. Cupcake shapes on the roof, candy cane colored rain gutters and the walls looked like they were actually made of gingerbread. I was so enamored by the design of the building that I did not notice Pinkie Pie rush out of the building and catch me in a bone shattering hug.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe you’re actually here! Rarity told me that she was going to try and get you to come! Yesterday you were back in the apartment and now you’re here! Ooooooo what a nice coat!” she turned and grasped a squirming Rarity in her other arm and brought her in close. She whispered something into her ear that I couldn’t make out. It did, however, make Rarity blush deep red and pull away from me and pull the party girl to the side.

“Crisp, would you be a dear and wait for a second while I discuss something with our friend here?” Rarity said, her face becoming even a deeper red. I nodded and as the girls walked around to the side of the building. As soon as they left my vision, my stomach growled loudly. I thought we would be at AJ’s by now, where I could get something to at least munch on. And the snowball fight didn’t help at all. Luckily I was outside what I assumed was a bakery, so I decided to grab myself and Rarity something to eat.

Above the door, a little bell rang announcing a customer had come in. Immediately, a portly woman with swirled pink hair carrying a blond little girl who was levitating a large stuffed bear came out of the back room. I recognized her from the pictures on the wall of the Corner. She walked behind the counter and placed the girl in her arms down in high chair, and then turned her attention to me.

“Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner hun. My name is Mrs. Cake, how may I help you today?”

“Oh well can I get a couple blueberry muffins, both with cream cheese frosting if it is not too much trouble?”

Mrs. Cake looked up from her little order slip where she had been taking down my order, smiling widely. “So, you must be Crisp.”

“Uuuuh yea.” I answered, slightly confused, “If you don’t mind me asking, how did you know?”

“Oh well Pinkie Pie is our niece, and she decided to live here after she found out how much she enjoyed parties and baking. She still has a good relationship with her family, but they are not really all understanding about the parties all the time. She has been talking nonstop about this boy that moved in with Dashie and how he swept our little Rarity off of her feet.”

“I wouldn’t say swept, but that still doesn’t answer how you knew who I was.”

“You ordered Rarity’s favorite. It’s not that hard to figure out. Now, do you know where Pinkie ran off to? Could you be a dear and find her for me while I get these ready?”

“Sure.” I placed my bits on the counter and walked outside. Rarity and Pinkie were walking around the fountain that was in the middle of the square. Although I couldn’t make out the words, I heard them talking low and hushed. Pinkie noticed that I was walking over towards them. She broke away from Rarity and rushed back inside.

Rarity was sitting down on the fountain, with her hands crossed over her chest, still looking indignant. I guess whatever Pinkie had said to her, still had her upset, but I couldn’t help noticing the blush plastered across her face and her eyes looking down with a sort of, well actually I don’t really know what to call it, but it was cute all the same.

“Soooooo,” I said scooping up another snowball. “Round two?”

Rarity looked up and pulled her beanie down on her head, and then looked up at me with a devilish smile. Just then I noticed that I was surrounded by the small projectiles.

“Oh darling,” She stood up, walking close and whispering to my ear, in a sultry voice as soft as silk. “I thought you learned your lesson.” She giggled as she pushed me down and pelted me with snowballs. When I managed to poke my head out of the snowbank that was now covering most of my body, I saw her laughing. Not in a goofy way like it had been last night when we arrived, but a way that just made her beam as bright as the sun. I smiled as she offered me her hand, feeling my face warm up as the blush spread across my face.

We finally made it to the farm that AJ’s family ran, Sweet Apple Acres. And only an hour and a half late, record time for us. She said that she wanted some help making some pastries, so she asked for Rarity and Pinkie to come over and help, since she said that there was a large demand over at Sugar Cube Corner for Apple family treats.

I didn’t know what help I would be to the baking. I might be able to cook decently well, but I couldn’t bake to save my life. I burnt every cupcake that left my hands and went into an oven, cookies were either mush or rocks and the cake was always bland, or on fire in that one case.

“Howdy ya two, glad ya could finally make it.” A voice sarcastically called to us. AJ was standing right outside the barnlike house, picking up a huge bucket of apples.

“We would have been here sooner if we had not been routed by snow and Pinkie Pie.” Rarity said, her deep blush returning. What the hell did that party girl say to get her all riled up like this?

“Well, t’be fair, Pinkie just got here b’fore y’all arrived. She’s inside with Apple Bloom getting everything ready. Rarity, why don’cha head inside.” AJ motioned to the door. Rarity turned to me, kissed me on the cheek and walked inside. AJ’s eyes followed her friend as she disappeared inside. As soon as Rarity left AJ’s field of vision, her eyes darted back to me. She dropped her bucket on the ground, causing a few of the apples to drop to the ground as she briskly walked over to me, her eyes never wavering. I could feel my wings start to open in response to the sudden threat that was closing in quickly.

“Listen here, you.” AJ said, looking me dead in the eyes. “I know ya know about Ridger and what he was like, Dash told me. She also told me what she would do if ya ever hurt Rarity. This is mah only warnin’, hurt her, and the only thing Dash will be able ta do is bury yer corpse.

I laughed nervously. Compared to Dash, AJ looked as though she was about to put me in the ground right there.

“Uh, so what do you need me to do?” quickly trying to change the subject. Evidently, it worked. AJ’s face snapped back from the deadpan anger to her usual bright eyes and smile. She patted me on the back as she turned me towards the northern part of her land.

“Ya gonna be helpin’ Big Mac bring in some more bushels. He usually does it himself, but Vinyl told me ‘bout the time ya lit a cake on fire. So best ta keep ya away from the bakin’.” I nodded agreeingly, thinking back to when I almost burned down her kitchen trying to make her a birthday cake with Tavi. “Oi, Big Mac!” AJ yelled loudly into my ear. “Get yer butt over here and meet Crisp, he’s gonna be yer helper t’day.”

A huge man, even taller than me, walked out of the house. His shirt and denim coat doing little to hide the giant muscle mass that was his chest. All I could do was stand there and admire. I felt a nudge in my side, to find a smirking AJ.

“Should Ah be the one ta tell Rarity about this little crush.”

“Not a crush,” I quickly retorted, “I just never seen someone built like that.”

“Well, Big Mac is one of the biggest people I have met. Twi’s brother maybe, but he’s bout yer height.”

Big Mac finally made his way over to us, pulling the cart along behind him. His eyes lulled over from his sister to me, taking in his new assistant. After a few seconds, he looked back over at AJ.

“How many?” He simply asked his little sister, counting out buckets in the back of the cart.

“Need about five more for baking, and make sure ya’ll get a couple more for the slop.”

“Should be easy.” Big Mac looked over at me, “You can lift up one of these right?” He said picking up one of the buckets, chucking it into my chest. I felt the impact of the wood slam into my chest, causing the wind to leave my lungs. I fell to my knees, wheezing, trying to get air back into my system. AJ was snickering while Big Mac just stared. “So, is that a no?”

Still wheezing, I picked up the barrel, jumped over Big Mac and AJ and placed the bucket back into the cart. “Yeah, I think I can manage that.”

Big Mac smiled while AJ just gawked with her mouth wide open. Mac put his hand under her mouth, closing it for her. He motioned to me to follow him into the north field, pulling the cart behind him.

Arriving at the northern orchards, Big Mac told me that while he would harvest the apples, I would follow behind, collecting apples from the top of the trees. Told me to put the good ones in bakery buckets, while the bad or bruised ones would go into the slop buckets. I watched as he walked up to the first tree and kick it with his right leg. Apples fell to the ground while my eyes shot open. He just kicked a tree so hard, the fruit was knocked loose. I made a mental note to never, ever be on the receiving end of that kick. We worked in silence for almost an hour.

“Yer the one dating Rarity now, arn'cha?” Bic Mac asked as he walked around, picking up the apples that had fallen.

“Yea,” I said landing on top of the tree, starting to pick a few apples, smiling slightly and getting a small blush. “I’m lucky. I’ve seen the guys looking at her in school. Still don’t understand how I am the one that ended up with her. “

“From what AJ told me, she loves ya.” I felt my knees buckle, and my wings spring open. What did he just say? “Can’t really put a reason to it, but sometimes it doesn’t have to have a reason. Just don’t be Ridger. Everyone of AJ’s friends are like little sisters to me. I protect my family.”

“Well considering you left a dent in a tree, I’m not about to piss you off anyway.”

“Eeeyup. Good that you realize it fast.”

I smiled at the large man and placed the apples in the cart.

“Well that’s enough for now. Better hurry up before AJ comes out here and kicks my ass for being late. Sides, Twilight is havin’ that getagether tonight and gotta have all this done before then.”

I don’t think I registered that last comment well. In fact, I don’t think I really registered most of what Big Mac said correctly. Did he just say that AJ could kick his ass? Definitely not gonna do anything to find out. I’d rather not spend the rest of the vacation in a hospital. By the time I had finished putting together all that Big Mac had said, I noticed that he was already gone. I ran quickly back in the direction of the house, barely catching up to him.

Back at the house, we could smell the delicious scent of apple pies, muffins, spiced cakes and cider coming from the large kitchen. Inside Pinkie, Rarity and AJ, all wearing aprons, scurried around inside, putting pans in the oven, placing plates of treats on the table, wrapping them in plastic wrap. It smelled wonderful.

AJ had been run over by Pinkie Pie and dumped a little crust mix into Rarity’s hair, which sent her into hysterics. She always got like this when her hair was soiled. I remember accidentally spilling a plate of food on her when I tripped trying to climb over the back of the couch. All she did was get up, run to the restroom and then spent the next 3 hours cleaning herself off, complaining about what kind of things she put up with around here.

I smiled and quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped the small pastry out of her hair. She turned around and quickly pulled me in close and thanked me for cleaning up a mess that had been so rudely placed upon her. She sat down in a chair at the table and started brushing her hair.

“Pinkie Pie, if I did not know any better, I would think that you washed your hair with cake batter and conditioned it with frosting.” Rarity scoffed betweens pulls on her brush. I laughed at her obsessiveness over it as I grabbed a fritter and took a bite. Pinkie laughed as she dabbed a bit of pie filling behind her ears.

Author's Note:

Hello Big Mac.

AJ seems to not have nearly the patience that Dash has.

And of course Rarity would have a Brush with her.